Greek President receives Dutch Royals

King William Alexander and Queen Maxima are on a three-day official visit to Greece at the invitation of the President of the Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou. The royal couple arrived on Sunday evening at the Eleftherios Venizelos airport, where they were welcomed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias, while yesterday their schedule was particularly busy.

The day began with the laying of a wreath at the Monument to the Unknown Soldier, while then King William and Queen Maxima were welcomed to the Presidential Palace by Katerina Sakellaropoulou, stressing that "Greece attaches great importance to strengthening relations with the Netherlands in all possible fields" and he emphasized that our countries are linked by long-term ties of friendship, we are partners in the European Union and allies in NATO."

This was followed by a visit to the Archaeological site of the Acropolis and then they made a stop at Technopolis.

The day ended with the reception given in their honor by the President of the Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou at the Presidential Palace, with Queen Maxima standing out with her impressive appearance, wearing a burgundy velvet dress by the Greek designer Costarellos.
Among the guests who attended the reception were Vardis Vardinogiannis with his wife Marianna Vardinogiannis, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias and the Mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis.

Katerina Sakellaropoulou: Greece is always open to dialogue

During her address at the official dinner, the President of the Republic underlined that "Revisionism is a danger and a threat to peace, wherever it comes from" and emphasized that "every day my country is faced with incendiary rhetoric and a series of non-existent challenges to Greek sovereignty and our sovereign rights, on behalf of Turkey, in a attempt to promote its revisionist claims".

She also clarified that "Greece is always open to dialogue, aiming to develop good neighborly relations with Turkey, under one condition. The full and non-negotiable respect of the principles of international law" and reiterated that "the Cyprus issue is an international issue of illegal invasion and continued occupation of the territories of a sovereign state, and even a member of the European Union".

At the same time, she argued that "in an era of insecurity and uncertainty it is important that we, as Europeans, remain united in the face of the unprecedented challenges we face" and referred to the ideals and values ​​of democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights, on which they are based the long-standing relations of friendship and appreciation between Greece and the Netherlands."

The love of the Dutch royal couple for Greece

Ms. Sakellaropoulou did not fail to mention the special love of the royal couple of the Netherlands for Greece and argued that their current presence in Athens confirms the excellent relations between the two countries, as well as the will to further deepen them in all areas of mutual interest.

"Our bond with the sea, the involvement in trade and the restless spirit of our peoples characterize the history of our nations, which have excelled, over the centuries, as strong naval and commercial powers" added the President.

She also made special mention of the great cultural tradition of the Netherlands, saying characteristically: "The talent of the Dutch painters enchanted our souls and made us travel with Rembrandt, Vermeer, Van Gong, Hieronymus Bosch, Mondrian and so many others, while in classical philosophy, with its strong Greek imprint, our thinking continued along the path of Aristotle's "Ethics", enriched with the analyzes and reflections of the philosopher Spinoza. I would be particularly happy if circumstances allowed me to dwell more on the ecumenical heritage of these great Dutchmen, but today I consider that I owe a special mention to Hugo Grotius, who, deeply influenced by the ancient writers, laid the foundations of public international law, with his work "On the Law of War and Peace".

The King of Holland, Spetses and the Bouboulina statue

For his part, King William-Alexander of the Netherlands, during his objection at the dinner, expressed his great joy that together with his wife Maxima, they are finally visiting the Hellenic Republic, after two postponements, and added that "we wanted to  visit you at the end of the previous year, when you celevrated two hundred years after the beginning of the revolution, which marked your independence".

As he said "in Spetses, where we often go, the Bouboulina statue stands proudly in the central square. It represents the contribution of women to an independent and strong Greece. It is a long tradition, of which you are also a part, as the first female President of the Hellenic Republic".

The analogy of Greece with the olive tree

He also likened Greece to the olive tree, referring to the ancient myth of the dispute between Athena and Poseidon for control of Athens, arguing that just as it was reborn again and again, so Greece, after the extremely difficult years of the financial crisis, found the courage and strength to rebuild, achieving important administrative and economic reforms.

"I understand very well how much sacrifice was asked of the people of this country. But the results offer renewed optimism for the future. The olive tree blooms again!” noted the King of the Netherlands and argued that it is important to recognize the extraordinary efforts made by the people of Greece outside the borders, while he expressed the hope that their visit would contribute in this direction.